1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a regenerator for an absorption refrigerating machine and, more particularly, to a regenerator for an absorption refrigerating machine which uses combustion gas as a heat source and which is capable of coping with a demand for a large capacity.
2. Prior Art
As conventional regenerators for absorption refrigerating machines, flood type flue and smoke tube regenerators have generally been employed mainly in large-sized absorption refrigerating machines. This type of regenerator suffers, however, from some disadvantages; namely, the holing solution quantity is large, and the starting characteristics are inferior. In addition, the heat transfer efficiency is not satisfactorily high, and it is difficult to reduce the overall size of the system.
To achieve a reduction in the overall size of the system, for example, employment of a once-through generator has been examined. With this type of generator, however, it is difficult to handle vapor generated in the tube, and stable running cannot readily be performed. For example, if vapor is localized in the tube, local overheating occurs, causing the problem of corrosion. In addition, the circulation of solution may be impaired by vapor lock or other similar problems, causing crystallization, depending upon the rate of generation.
To solve the above-described problems, the present inventor has previously proposed a regenerator in which a multiplicity of heat transfer fins are provided on the outer periphery of the shell part of a drum shell, and a circulation guide is provided along the inner periphery of the shell part of the drum shell (Japanese Patent Application Public Disclosure No. 6-018125 (1994)).
The above-described invention in the prior application provides a compact regenerator and enables stable heating. With this regenerator, however, it is difficult to achieve a large capacity by way of proportional design.
That is, as the area of heat-transfer surface is increased proportionally the volume increases proportionally to 1.5 powers of the area. As a result, the holding solution quantity exceeds the value of proportionality.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a regenerator of the type having a multiplicity of heat transfer fins provided on the outer periphery of the shell part of a drum shell, and a circulation guide provided along the inner periphery of the shell part of the drum shell, which is capable of increasing capacity by way of proportional design.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a regenerator of the above described type which further enables effective use of combustion gas energy while fulfilling the first object.
To accomplish the above-described first object, the present invention provides a regenerator for an absorption refrigerating machine which uses combustion gas as a heat source. The regenerator comprises a plurality of drum shells provided in a body casing of the regenerator, each drum shell has a solution inlet provided in a shell part of the drum shell, a solution outlet having an overflow structure and provided in the shell part at a position lower than the solution inlet, a vapor outlet provided in the shell part at a position higher than the solution inlet and a multiplicity of heat transfer fins provided on an outer periphery of a shell part of the drum shell. In addition, a circulation guide is provided along an inner periphery of the shell part.
The plurality of drum shells may be arranged in a side by side parallel relationship. In this case, the solution inlet of the each drum shell is connected to a solution supply means from an absorber, the solution outlet of each drum shell is connected to a solution outlet pipe, and the vapor outlet of each drum shell is connected to a vapor outlet pipe.
Instead, the plurality of drum shells may be arranged in an up and down series relationship to accomplish the above-described second object. In this case, the solution inlet of the uppermost drum shell is. connected to a solution supply means from an absorber, the solution outlet of the upper drum shell is communicated with the solution inlet of the lower drum shell so that a solution from the upper drum shell-sequentially overflows Into the lower drum shell or drum shells, whereas a combustion gas first comes into contact with the fins provided on the lowermost drum shell and then sequentially contacts the fins of the upper drum shell or shells.
Further, the plurality of drum shells may be arranged in side by side parallel relationship and in an up and down series relationship. In this case, the solution inlets of the uppermost drum shells are connected with a solution supply means from an absorber, the solution outlets of the upper drum shells are communicated with the solution inlets of the lower drum shell in the corresponding series so that a solution from the upper drum shell is sequentially overflows into the lower drum shell of drum shells in the corresponding series, whereas a combustion gas first comes into contact with said fins provided on the lowermost drum shell and then sequentially contacts the fins of the upper drum shell or shells in the corresponding series, the solution outlets of the lowermost drum shells are connected to a solution outlet pipe, and the vapor outlet of said each drum shell is connected to a vapor outlet pipe.
In this invention, since the regenerator is composed of a plurality of drum shells, as described above, it is possible to achieve a large capacity on the basis of proportional design by increasing the number of drum shells used.
In addition when a plurality of drum shells are arranged in an up and down series relationship as described above, the solution is allowed to sequentially flow down from an upper drum shell to a lower drum shell, whereas the combustion gas is allowed to sequentially rise from a lower drum shell to an upper drum shell so as to come into contact with the drum shells in sequence, thereby enabling effective use of energy.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative examples.